1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a remote control mechanism and, more particularly, to a remote control mechanism that uses a single sliding lever to control both gear and throttle selections.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many different types of single lever remote control mechanisms are known to those skilled in the art. These devices find particular utility in marine propulsion systems which use either outboard motors, inboard drives, or stern drives.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,598, which issued to Prince on May 23, 1978, discloses a single lever remote control system for the throttle and clutch of a marine propulsion system. It includes a housing typically supporting a shaft member for relative lateral or axial movement between first and second positions. It also comprises a main control lever which is connected to the shaft member for common axial movement and for common rotary movement from a neutral position. The control system also includes a throttle drive member connected to the shaft member for common rotary movement and for relative axial movement of the shaft member. The system includes a clutch shift drive member that is mounted on the shaft member for relative rotation and for common axial movement. The clutch shift drive member includes a drive lug which, when the shaft member is in the first position, is receivable in and drivingly engages a drive notch in the throttle drive member to provide common rotary movement of these two members in response to pivotal movement of the main control lever from the neutral position. When the shaft member is moved axially to the second position in response to outwardly lateral or axial movement of the main control lever, the clutch shift drive member is moved to a disengaged position wherein the throttle drive member can be rotated or pivoted relative to the clutch shift drive member by the main control lever so that the engine throttle can be operated independently of the clutch for engine warm-up.
U.S. Pat. No. Re.31,861, which has been reissued to Prince on Apr. 9, 1985, describes a single lever remote control for engine throttle and clutch. The throttle control for an engine includes a housing supporting a control lever for rotation relative to a neutral position, a throttle lever moveably mounted on the housing and adapted to actuate the engine throttle, a throttle drive member including a drive pin and mounted for rotation in response to movement of the control lever from the neutral position, and a cam member connected between the throttle lever and the throttle drive member. The cam member includes a cam track receiving the drive pin and having a shape effective to displace the cam member relative to the throttle drive member, transversely relative to the rotational axis of the throttle drive member, so as to move the throttle lever in response to rotation of the throttle drive member. In one embodiment, the control further includes a shift lever moveably mounted on the housing and adapted to actuate the engine clutch and a shift drive member drivingly connected to the shift lever for actuating the engine clutch in response to movement of the control lever from the neutral position. The cam track is arranged so that the cam member, and thus the throttle lever, remains in an engine idle position during initial movement of the control lever from the neutral position to actuate the engine clutch and so that further movement of the control lever from the neutral position causes translatory movement of the cam member to advance the engine throttle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,232, which issued to Kolb et al on Dec. 30, 1986, discloses a single lever remote control throttle dwell and friction mechanism. The single lever control for operating the clutch and throttle of a marine motor has a support on which a sleeve is mounted on a pivot. A rod is mounted in the sleeve for axial movement. The distal end of the rod is actuated to move the rod and the sleeve about the pivot and also to move the road axially relative to said sleeve. An actuating arm and a cam track cooperate to move the rod and sleeve in an arc above the pivot between first and second positions between which the clutch is operated by an operator actuated by rotation of the arm about its pivot. The actuating arm moves the rod axially relative to the sleeve when the arm is beyond the clutch operating range. The rod is connected to the throttle. A friction device acts on the rod to resist axial movement of the rod relative to the sleeve. The friction load resists change of the throttle setting, but has no affect on clutch operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,618, which issued to Entringer on Jun. 28, 1988, discloses a shift cable assembly for a marine drive. The shift cable assembly includes a shift plate, a shift lever pivotally mounted on the plate, and a switch actuating arm pivotally mounted on the plate between a first neutral position and a second switch actuating position. A control cable and drive cable interconnect the shift lever and switching actuating arm with a remote control and clutch and gear assembly for the marine drive so that shifting of the remote control by a boat operator moves the cable to pivot the shift lever and switch actuating arm which in turn actuates a shift interrupter switch mounted on the plate to momentarily interrupt ignition of the drive unit to permit easier shifting into forward, neutral, and reverse gears. A spring biases the arm into its neutral position and the arm includes an improved mounting for retaining the spring in its proper location on the arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,516, which issued to Prince on Nov. 5, 1991, describes a single lever control. The control comprises a housing, a control lever pivotally mounted on the housing and adapted to be operably connected to an engine throttle and to a clutch, a warning horn connected to the housing and adapted to be operably connected to an engine for providing a warning signal when an engine condition exceeds a predetermined value, a cover connected to the housing and adapted to be mounted on a generally flat mounting surface, the cover partially enclosing the housing and enclosing the warning horn, and an ignition switch mounted on the cover and adapted to be operably connected to an engine ignition system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,493, which issued to Ohkita on Feb. 20, 1996, describes a remote control device for a marine propulsion unit. The device is intended to control the operation of a transmission and throttle control for a marine propulsion system that is operated by a single control lever. The single control lever's position is sensed and a single servomotor is operated which operates both the transmission control and throttle control through a cam and follower mechanism. A warm-up control is also incorporated that permits partial opening of the throttle for warm-up operation.
Most known types of remote control mechanisms for marine propulsion systems utilize a lever that rotates about a pivot point to allow an operator of a marine vessel to rotate about its pivot point to affect changes in the transmission and/or throttle setting of an outboard motor, inboard propulsion system, or stern drive propulsion system. To provide added convenience for the marine vessel operator, there are many types of remote control systems that also use a single lever which simultaneously controls both the transmission and the throttle setting of the marine propulsion system.
It would be beneficial if a remote control system could be developed which performs the simultaneous functions of selecting the transmission setting and throttle setting and which incorporates a sliding control handle which moves along a generally linear path rather than in an arc as required when a lever control is used.